RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers here on Thursday ended the set-ins after three-day protests on Murree Road, Pirwadhai Mor, and Swan Camp on Jhelum Road and opened the blocked roads.
The protests and roadblocks triggered the worst traffic mess on city roads, particularly on Murree Road, Old Airport Road, and G.T.Road.
PTI workers had started protests demonstration in several areas on the call of their leader Imran Khan who was shot in the leg by a gunman during the long march in Wazirabad.
The supporters of PTI also clashed with law enforcers at Faizabad Interchange, who were performing their security duties there.
The protesters also burned tyres at Rawat during their protest and blocked the GT Road which badly affected the flow of traffic towards Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
Owing to the protests, City Traffic Police placed diversions for traffic moving from Murree Road, Old Airport Road, Swan Camp, and Pirwadhai Mor.
The PTI workers blocked several city roads which caused great trouble to the citizens as the ambulance service was also suspended and several vehicles transporting patients to the hospitals got stuck in the traffic gridlocks.
According to a CTP spokesman, all the diversions placed by the Traffic Police on Murree Road, Pirwadhai Mor, and Swan Camp have also been removed.
Earlier on Thursday, the workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) continued staging the protest for the fourth day and blocked several roads including Murree Road and G.T.Road against the assassination attempt on former premier Imran Khan.
The PTI supporters held protests at several main places including Murree Road opposite Allama Iqbal Park near Shamasabad closing the road from both sides.
The G.T.Road Taxila near ‘bypass chowk and Margala Hills’ was closed for all kinds of vehicular traffic.
However, main Peshawar Road and Mall Road remained open for traffic. However, the starting point of IJP Road, near Ghosia Ada towards Rawalpindi and Islamabad was
closed for all kind of traffic.
Jhelum Road near Swan Bridge towards Kutchery was also closed for traffic but the road was open towards Rawat.
Motorway M-1, Islamabad to Peshawar also remained open for traffic moving towards
Peshawar while M-2, where as Islamabad to Lahore remained closed for traffic moving towards Lahore.
The protesters stopped a large number of oil tankers and other heavy traffic
on Fateh Jang Road besides blocking G.T.Road in Taxila for three days.
It is pertinent to note that educational Institutions are also closed in Tehsil Rawalpindi.
According to City Traffic Police spokesman, alternative routes have been arranged to
facilitate citizens.
Similarly, main Peshawar Road, Chur Chowk towards Westridge, Marble Factory
Road, Golra Mor, Srinagar Highway can also be used as IJP Road, near Ghosia
Ada towards Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
